January 4, 2023

5/3966) Home:  Echoes by Redline Brewhouse of Ontario:  ****1/2; 7.8%, 54 ibu Imperial Stout; bottle conditioned, wax sealed; brewed with organic Madagascar vanilla bean and Warrior hops; jet black; nose is primarily dark roast and bitter coffee; notes of caramel, a touch of vanilla, dark roasted malt and deeply bitter coffee;

January 3, 2023

3/3964) Home:  Milk Stout by Redline Brewery of Ontario:  ***1/2; 5.8%, 35 ibu; brewed with flaked oats, local Mmm Donuts doughnut and lactose; dark brown; nose of roast and lactose; tastes of chocolate, caramel, vanilla; the roastiness prevents this from being too sweet; referred to on line as Mmm Donuts Milk Stout;

4/3965) Home:  Leather Interior by Redline Brewhouse of Ontario:  ***; 5.4%, 22 ibu brown ale with house roasted almonds, oats, wheat; Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, and Warrior hops; deep brown; nose of almonds, vanilla and dry roast; sweet, but not excessively so, with notes of vanilla and almonds;

January 1, 2023

1/3962) Home:  Barrie's Chocolate Orange by Redline Brewhouse of Ontario:  ***1/2; 5.8% stout with oranges and cocoa nibs and wheat; deep brown; nose of oranges, unsweetened chocolate; strong roast largely overshadows orange and chocolate notes; chocolate flavours are sweeter than the nose might suggest; orange blooms at the finish and in the after taste;

2/3963) Home:  Empire State of Mind by Redline Brewhouse of Ontario:  ****; 10%, 30 ibu Barrel Aged Imperial Stout; brewed in collaboration with Market Brewing also of Ontario; aged two years in imported French oak;  grain bill includes flaked oats; very dark brown; nose of alcohol and oak; tastes of roasted malt and oak with a faint hint of alcohol;

December 28, 2022

244/ 3961) Home:  Wee Heavy Bourbon (Grande Reserve) by Microbrasserie Le Castor Brewing Company of Quebec:  ****;  11%, 25 ibu Bourbon Barrel Aged Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy with cane sugar, malted barley and roasted barley; rich brown; nose of caramel, oak, alcohol and cola; tastes of caramel, bourbon, oak, cola, licorice; a combination of sweet bourbon plus sweet Scotch ale is not too much in this instance – a deft touch;

A gift from my eldest son.

December 27, 2022

242/3959) Home:  Radar Love/Eyes In The Sky by Fairweather Brewing of Ontario:  ***1/2; 8%, 65 ibu Double IPA; brewed with wheat and hopped with Citra, Idaho 7 and Sabro; pours somewhere between cloudy and murky; mostly pineapple and pears to the nose; flavours of pears, coconut, peaches and mild pineapple – an odd combination; lack of oats creates an unexpectedly thin mouthfeel;

243/3960) Home:  Night Of The Living Gingerbread by Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery of Ontario:  ****1/2; 9%; Imperial Gingerbread Latte/Winter Spiced Ale; brewed with locally roasted coffee, lactose, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg; pours a rich dark brown; nose of dark roasted coffee, ginger, spices; flavours of allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon relegate ginger to a supporting role but it is very much present against a backdrop of dark, dark roasted coffee; 

This is an update of Day Walker with maple syrup, much less sweet than the first version which I tried at the Volo.  I can manage a full pint of this one.

December 26, 2022

241/3958) Home:  All Roads by Grain & Grit of Ontario:  ***; 8%, 38 ibu; brewed in collaboration with Clifford Brewing Co.; Double IPA with malted barley, flaked barley, wheat and oats; mildly hazy; mostly tropical aromas; harsh musty flavours, mild alcohol throughout with mixed tropical;

December 25, 2022

240/3957) Home:  Gouden Carolus Christmas by Brouwerij Het Anker of Belgium:  ****1/2; 10.0%, 11 ibu Winter Ale; traditionally brewed in August for Christmas with 3 hops, 6 herbs and spices; ruby red; dark fruit and licorice nose; caramel, dark fruit, ginger, spices, cola, cherries, ever so mild hint of alcohol; could just as easily have rated a 5;

 

This was my Christmas present from the staff of Tracks Brewpub: